


Wolf Snatched

by MioneWriter007



Category: Twilight, Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Romance, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, slow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:00:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,724
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27375340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MioneWriter007/pseuds/MioneWriter007
Summary: Some details AU after Eclipse Newborn Battle, but this story takes place 7 and a half years after the confrontation with the Volturi.Now that Renesmee is an 'adult' she wants to break free from her family and her parent's super strict rules. Leah having bonded and grown attached to Nessie decides she wants to help her have a somewhat normal life. Leah breaks the news to Jake that they will be heading to Forks for a visit, which doesn't sit well with the alpha but he agrees a vacation from the Cullen's might be what they all need to get back on the same page. Half a world away, Aro and the Volturi have spent the last seven years working on plans to bring Renesmee and the wolves to Italy for a closer look. Aro wants to know more about the hybrid and the connection the Cullen's have with the pack. What will the Cullens and the Packs do when two of their own are taken prisoner? What will the two taken do when they are given a choice of living and joining Aro or dying?
Relationships: Alice Cullen/Jasper Hale, Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Jared Cameron/Kim Connweller, Sam Uley/Emily Young, Sue Clearwater/Charlie Swan
Kudos: 2
Collections: Twilight FanFiction, Twilight: Wolfpack Fics





	1. Over-Protective

**Author's Note:**

> Paul did not imprint on Rachel. Jacob did imprint on Nessie but did not become a romantic imprint, Quil’s imprint is also not romantic in any way and never will be. Embry, Leah, Paul, and Seth do not have imprints.

**Chapter 1**

Ness rolls her eyes at her mother and father, _Ugh this is stupid._

Edward looks at his daughter and narrows his eyes, “Renesmee, you know better than that.” Bella looks over at him wondering what silent thought he’d gotten from their now teenage daughter. “It’s nothing, she’s just annoyed with us and our rules.”

“Yes, because every rule you’ve had for me in the past I have outgrown. I’m not a child anymore Dad, you can’t just assume that I’m going to follow you and mom around forever.” Nessie says putting her hand on her hip. She was right in a sense, that she didn’t look like a child anymore, her body had grown rapidly and then stopped aging about 4 months ago when in human years she turned 7. 

“Just because you -look- like an adult does not mean you -are- an adult Renesmee. You can’t just go off on your own at 7 years old.” Bella tries and fails to argue. Both her and Edward know she is more than mature enough to pass for 18, 21 if Ness really wanted to push it, but they didn’t want to admit that about their only child. 

“Your mother is right, Renesmee, you’re not old enough to be out on your own,” Edward says backing up his wife as he usually did when it came to their daughter. 

“I just want to go back to Forks to visit Grandpa, what’s so hard about that? Maybe take some college classes there or a semester or two. I miss Grandpa Charlie and Sue, and Seth… and the rest of the pack.” Ness quickly adds. The wolves in the next room glance at one another. Jake shrugs, he knows how it sounds but he knows that Ness likes Seth. She’s had a crush on him for a while now. 

Ness’s parents weren’t exactly excited about how much she talked to Seth Clearwater or about him. They both assumed that because of Jacob’s imprint that they would eventually date one another but that hadn’t been the case. Jacob, Leah, Embry, and even Paul had all followed the Cullens to Anchorage immediately when they left Forks. Sam, Jared, Seth, Quil, Brady, Collin, and the new wolves that had phased after the Volturi visit stayed behind. Then to Vancouver two years ago when people started to question Carlilse’s age at the hospital, not to mention how he had to explain Nessie.

“This is about you visiting Charlie, Renesmee, this is about you thinking that you know how to be on your own. That you know how to deal with humans. You haven’t had enough time to learn.” Bella tries to explain to Ness, failing in the attempt.

“Oh yeah because you had so much more experience when you met dad right mom! How can you be so hypocritical? You ran off because vamps were after you and married dad without even thinking about anyone but yourself. Grampa only knows about us and isn’t devastated because Jake decided to help out. If it wasn’t for him Grandpa Charlie would have died of a broken heart!” Ness raises her voice, her temper flaring. She glares at both her parents and turns to walk off back to her room. She passes the wolves sitting in the living room on her wait to the stairs. They all do their best to avoid her and her parents. 

“Renesmee you do not get to walk off like that,” Edward speaks firmly as he and Bella both follow their daughter up the stairs. 

Leah raises a brow at them from her seat on the sofa beside Paul. _Of course, you do know she’s right. Bella was 17 when she ran off to Phoenix and Italy. And she was 18 when you two got hitched and knocked up._ Her eyes never leave the computer screen, but she can’t help but smirk when she hears Edward’s voice.

“Leah,” Edward warns as he makes it to the top of the stairs. 

Leah turns and looks up at him with a raised brow, “But am I wrong though?” She goes back to looking at her computer, not seeing how Edward stops walking just before the top of the stairs. Bella, who had continued to follow Ness to her room and fails at getting Ness to open her door, comes back to find Edward a few moments later still standing on the stairs.

“Edward?” Bella asks, putting a hand on his shoulder as she glances over him at the wolves below.

“I think we need to talk in private, my love,” Edward says, turning to Bella. She gives Edward a confused look then follows him down the stairs to the front door. Edward turns back to the wolves, “We’ll return shortly, don’t let her leave.”

Jake nods knowing it’s not about letting Ness stay or go but about making sure she’s safe. Embry and Paul shake their heads and continue playing with the XBOX while Jake goes back to reading his book. Leah rolls her eyes because she knows they aren’t changing their minds but neither is Ness.

Leah lets out a huff, closes her laptop, and reaches out to set it on the coffee table. She knows Jake cares about Ness but he is also clueless when it comes to what Ness wants lately. She doesn’t confide in him as much as she used to because ‘he is a guy and doesn’t get it.’ Leah stands up and walks upstairs to Ness’s room. 

Leah lifts her hand and knocks on the door. A grumbled ‘go away’ sounds from the other side and she laughs. “It’s just me, Kiddo.” She hears the soft thud of Ness’s feet hitting the floor and padding softly across the carpet. The lock clicks and she takes that as an invitation and she opens the door.  
  
“Okay, we are done with all the moppy tweeny crap. What’s your problem?” Leah shuts the door behind her and walks over to sit with Ness on her bed.

“It’s them not me. Why can't I just go to Forks by myself? Why do they always have to be so close? I’m not a baby.” Ness huffs and leans back against her pillows. “It’s not like you and Jake don’t go visit down there. Even Paul and Embry go sometimes. What is the big deal with me going for a few days? Or weeks. I need to get away from my parents. They are driving me insane.”

“Ness, you’ve gotta realize in their eyes you -are- a child. You’re only 7 to them. I know physically, and honestly, mentally you are way older than they want to admit because that would mean you’ve matured past the point when they stopped aging.” Leah shrugs when Ness giggles at the age joke. Her mother always had a thing about age and she still does.

“But, Leah, why do they insist that I can’t handle being in Forks?” Ness asks.

“Because they can’t protect you forever and they know that. At some point, you might decide to go away to school and that scares them. Even Jake. I know you want to try out being on your own and realistically doing that in Forks is probably the best place you could start. You have family there, and the pack.” Leah reassured Ness. “They just don’t want that to be now.”

Ness huffs again and leans her head back against the fabric covered headboard. Leah knows it’s not easy for her to sit back and wait. Ness was already a high school graduate and was ready to leave home. Leah had a feeling that it had a little to do with the fact that Seth was going to be moving back to La Push after finishing his 2-year certification in the Automotive Technician program. Seth had been in Seattle for the last two years because the guys all agreed that he needed to finish a real program and not just be an apprentice. 

“Do you think they’ll let me at least go visit Grandpa Charlie?” Ness asks without looking at Leah.

“I’m not sure, maybe. And maybe…” Leah waits for Ness to look at her. “Maybe I’ll try to talk them into letting you go visit if we go with you. I know the guys are itching to go visit home. It’s been a while. Jake can fly down there with you or we can all drive down together.” 

A smile lit up Ness’s face and she jumped at Leah wrapping her arms around her neck. “Thank you!” 

Leah rolls her eyes, returning the hug, gives a small chuckle, “Yeah, yeah, don’t thank me yet.” She pulls back from the embrace and smiles at Ness, “Now no more moping, go for a hunt or tear Jake away from that book. Or go kick Embry and Paul’s asses on the XBOX.” Ness giggles and sits back on her bed and reaches for her phone. Teenagers. 

“Yeah, maybe I’ll head down in a few. Thanks again, Leah.”

“No problem, Kiddo.” Leah sits on Ness’s bed another minute or two before she stands up and heads for the door. Her wolf hearing picks up a conversation as she reaches for the door handle, her fingertips just about to touch the doorknob. The voices in the distance are quiet, almost a whisper to her ears.

“I don’t get it. She says she doesn’t like the vamps, the kid, then she runs off after Nessie?” There is a sigh, “She’s so confusing.” It’s Embry. 

“Dude, why do you keep trying to figure her out. We can literally see inside her head and after 8 years as wolves we -still- don’t know what goes through the she-wolf’s head.” Paul’s deep chuckle cuts the almost silence. 

“They’re talking about you…” Ness says quietly from her spot on the bed.

Leah turns and looks over her shoulder and with a shrug says, “Nothing new there.” Leah turns and quietly opens the door hoping the guys are too busy talking to hear her coming. She steps out of Ness’s room and closes the door silently behind her. She leans against Ness’s door and listens. 

“I’m almost completely sure that the reason you both don’t understand her is that you don’t actually listen to anything she says,” Jake says, this time in a bored tone that tells Leah he thinks Paul and Embry’s conversation is stupid. 

“Well, I still don’t get it. She could have gone home or to Seattle or hell anywhere a long time ago.” Embry comments absentmindedly.

“And why would she -want- to do that?!” Jake snaps suddenly. His tone confused Leah. 

Embry’s right. She could have left a long time ago. She didn’t -need- to stay here with the bloodsuckers or the pack, but she hadn’t left. She’d stayed with the Cullens and the pack. She didn’t particularly want to go home since her home was the reason why she left to begin with. Or rather, the people back home. 

Paul’s voice cuts in this time, “Testy much Jake? Is it a sore subject for you?” He’s teasing but Jake doesn’t seem to notice or care. 

“Fuck off.” Leah hears the anger in Jake’s tone. She starts to walk toward the stairs knowing she needed them to stop the conversation before things went further south. The guys come into view as she approaches the top of the stairs. Jake is up and making his way to the front door, “I’m going for a run.” 

Leah slowly makes her way down the stairs as the front door slams shut behind Jake. “Alright, what did you two do this time?” Leah asks as she steps off the last stair. She tries to play it off like she has no idea that it was about her. The beta in her wants to run after her alpha, to see what’s wrong with him, help him, but the rational side of her is telling her he needs time on his own without her in his head. 

“-I- didn’t do anything,” Paul says, raising his hand in surrender. Leah raises a brow and looks from him to Embry.

“I… uh, I don’t know. We are talking about… something…” Embry clears his throat as he glanced at Paul, “Anyway, we were talking and I said something and he snapped at me. I don’t know what I did.” Embry frowns, probably replaying the conversation in his head.

“Mm-hm,” Leah clicks her tongue, “Right and I don’t turn into a giant furry dog on occasion.” 

Paul chuckles from his seat on the couch, “She’s got you, Bro.” 

“Oh shut it, Paul,” Embry throws back. “Whatever, I'm going to my room.” He leaps up from the sofa and makes a quick exit out of the room and up the stairs.

“So you two are really not going to tell me what’s going on?” Leah rests her hand on her hip.

“Really not, that is for them to tell you if they want.” Paul shrugs.

Leah knew the answer was coming but it didn’t help to annoy her any less. She walks over and sits next to Paul not having anywhere to really go since a run was out of the question. She pulls her knees to her chest and sighs. Maybe she needed to go home. Get a break from the Cullens and the guys. But she wondered if she could manage to get away without them knowing or following her. 

She doubted it.

Paul leans back on the couch, watching Leah for a moment, and then reaches over and taps her feet. She automatically stretches her legs out, resting her feet in his lap, it was something that they just did after a while. Maybe a wolf pack thing or a way to stay grounded with all the vamps around, but Paul guessed more than anything it made Leah relax, it gave her away to be close to someone without any catches.

Leah half-smiles at the gesture. She didn’t like doing it at first. She always felt self-conscious around the Cullens and pack, being a female shifter and on the not-so-small side. She was taller than all of the females in the house, Esme, Rosalie, Bella, Alice, and Ness, hell she was almost as tall as Edward. But when Pual pulled her feet into his lap the very first time she felt small and it felt good. She didn’t have to worry about towering over the pack, they towered over her, and she didn’t have to feel bad about herself for a little while. An added perk of this was that Paul sometimes rubbed her feet absentmindedly while they watched tv. 

Paul’s voice is lower than a whisper when he talks next, his hand resting on her shin, “You know what we were talking about already.”

Not a question, but a statement. Paul knew Leah had been listening. He usually did. Whether a good guess or a sixth sense, Leah wasn’t sure but he was usually right about her eavesdropping. So she just nods her head. 

“I think Em is just genuinely curious. Even I’ve wondered those same things. I just figure if you wanted us to know or had reasons we’d find out eventually.” Paul slides his hand down to Leah’s foot. 

“I just don’t get why Jake would snap at Embry for asking. I mean, I don’t even think I know the answers to the questions right now. It’s been seven years Paul. I should know the answers shouldn’t I?” Leah takes a deep breath watching as Paul tries to relieve the tension he sees on her face by rubbing her feet. 

“I don't really know much about what goes through Jake’s head lately. Ever since Nessie’s birthday.” Paul is right. Things in the house started to get weird around Ness’s 7th birthday when they had a party with some of the vamps that were there for the battle. 

They sit in silence for a while longer neither really saying anything or making any moves to get up. It’s nice for a while until Bella and Edward walk back in. _Crisis Averted. But we need to talk._ Leah thinks as Edward comes into view.

“Thank you, Leah,” Edward says aloud not even making a curious face at the site of the wolves before him. Bella looks over her shoulder at her husband then back at Leah. 

“So she didn’t try to run?” Bella asks quietly.

Leah shakes her head, “No, she probably thought about it for a while before I walked in, but she’s up in her room still.”

“Thanks,” Bella says and then heads up the stairs with Edward quietly following behind him. 

Before Edward is out of sight Leah says _Did you hear Jake while you were out there? Is he close? Is he okay?_

Edward stops at the top of the stairs, turns to look down at Leah, and says, “He’s not far, but another talking point for our conversation for tomorrow.” He nods and turns to follow his wife.

Leah and Paul look at one another slightly confused by different points. Paul wonders why Edward felt the need to tell them anything and Leah wonders why Jake would be a point to talk about in their conversation about Ness visiting Forks.

“You think Jake is okay?” Leah says.

“Were you talking in your head to him again?” Paul says at the same time. 

They both give a small chuckle and Leah answers first, “Yeah. Edweird needed to know that Ness is okay. And they both need to be reassured that their darling daughter isn’t about to run off on her own.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve called him that,” Paul says absentmindedly. “So what do you think is wrong with Jake?”

“Oh you know, a lot of things.” Leah smiles a little, “I’m not really sure. I mean he’s Jake, but he seems different. Maybe it's an alpha thing?”

Paul continues rubbing Leah’s feet and nods in agreement with her, but they both know neither of them really understand what Jake is going through. Especially since he can block himself off from the others when they are in wolf form. 

Before they know it they have fallen asleep on the couch and they don’t hear Bella come in and drape a blanket over Leah or Jake come back in from his run. Leah wakes a few hours later, it’s dark and silent in the house which means Ness, Embry, Jake are all asleep in their rooms and Cullen’s are probably out for a run or a hunt or something. 

Leah shifts her weight feeling someone pressing against her back and realizes she is on the edge of the sofa she fell asleep on. She glances over her shoulder at Paul who looks miserable sandwiched between the back of the sofa and herself. Leah yawns and carefully sits up trying not to disturb Paul too much.  
  
“Paul,” Leah whispers, “Paul, come on, wake up.”

Paul grumbles and takes in a deep breath, slowly his eyes open and adjust to being awake. “I would have been fine.”  
  


“Mm-hm, right…” Leah stands from the couch and holds out her hand to Paul. He takes her hand as he yawns and stands up.

They head up the stairs, say good night, and walk into their respective rooms. 


	2. Power Struggle

**Chapter 2**

The next morning Leah wakes up as the sun rises which is rare for her because she is usually up before the sun. She rolls over in her bed trying to sike herself up to get out of bed. She has a lot to do today. With a heavy sigh, Leah forces herself out of bed and heads for the shower.

After a quick shower, she gets dressed and heads down to the kitchen for some coffee. Edward is already there holding out her favorite mug at the counter. She smiles gratefully and takes the mug from him. She takes a seat on the barstool at the counter.

"Thank you, for talking to Renesmee last night. Bella and I are grateful." Edward says breaking the silence.

Leah shrugs, "No problem. I honestly don't think she's really thinking about taking off on her own. She knows we'd all be on her before she got too far. She does want some space though." She sips her coffee gratefully.

"Yes, I've heard her thinking about it for a while. Bella and I aren't ready for her to be on her own though. She's still so young." Edward says as he looks from Leah to the window.

"I understand what you mean but she's not as young as you guys think she is. Hell, she was learning different languages and mastering them all at 2, she was homeschooled and then graduated high school at 6. There isn't much she can't do."

Edward shakes his head, "I think Bella and I have been trying to deny that she's grown up."

They sit there in silence for a few minutes before Leah speaks up, "Where is everyone this morning?"

"Jake went for a run, human form, Embry and Paul were running patrol, though pretty unnecessary, Emmett and Jasper went to buy a part for the Jeep, Esme, Alice, Bella, Rose, and Renesmee went shopping, and Carlisle went to work." Edward rattles off the list of people and their locations.

"Ah, so you got everyone out of the house so we can talk without them listening?" Leah laughs.

"I did, yes. I didn't think you would want everyone around while we talk." Edward smiles and turns to grab the carafe to refill Leah's mug. She smiles and holds the mug out for the refill.

"Alright," Leah says after a sip of coffee, "Let's talk. You and Bella really need to lighten up. The kid is fully grown, even though I get it. She's 7, but you've seen Nahual, Nessie isn't going anywhere anytime soon. She's going to live forever, just like you and Bella."

"She -is- only seven Leah, she doesn't know the danger of being on her own," Edward argues.

"Yes, she does, she battled with the Volturi at only a few months old. In fact, she wasn't even six months old yet. She looked like a 6-year-old with the mentality of someone much older." Leah counters.

Edward frowns and stares at Leah knowing that she's right. Renesmee has seen the worst of their world because the worst of their world had been at their doorstep trying to destroy his family. Wanting to destroy Renesmee because she was different because she was half-vampire and half-human.

"You know she can't stay here forever, eventually she'll have to move away with or without you and the rest of the family. Why don't you let her start out on her own with people she knows? In a place where she has a family to keep her safe? She can go online to school if you wanted her to, or she can drive to Port Angeles." Leah pauses, "Maybe the guys and I can go back with her, just for a visit to see if she could pull it off. She'd have to go by her middle name and maybe use Mason instead of Cullen. She can be a niece of Charlie's or something…" Leah knows she's rambling but she can't help herself. She wants to help Ness.

Edward stands motionless for a few minutes and stares out the window while Leah finishes her cup of coffee. He tries to compose himself and then says, "Are you sure she can handle it? What about Jacob?"

Leah sighs and looks out the window, "I don't know what's going on with Jacob. I can't even hear his thoughts half the time. I thought I was falling out of the pack or something but I can hear Em and Paul just fine."

"The imprint, was it supposed to develop into something more when Renesmee stopped aging? I have seen the other imprints, Sam, Jared, Quil, but they were each so different. Sam and Jared were older as were their imprints, they became romantic relationships. Quil is so much older than Claire, I worried for Renesmee when she was a baby, but Quil has never had an impure thought when it comes to Claire, he's like her big brother. I also worried that because Renesmee is different that something would happen but Jacob seems different, it isn't quite the same, but he cares about her deeply and like Quil has not ever had an impure thought about her."

Leah turns to look at Edward, "I thought I knew everything about imprints. It shattered my entire world, twice. Sam was everything, we were engaged, and you know the rest. When I left Sam's pack I thought I'd left imprinting behind and then Jake imprinted on Nessie, and once again the world I thought I knew was different again. We worried about Quil and Claire, but he's the best big brother and her parents were worried at first. I haven't talked much to the pack back home, so I don't really know if any of the others have imprinted, I know Seth hasn't and obviously, Embry and Paul haven't but it's confusing." Leah stops talking because she realizes that she's rambling and Edward is just staring because he hears her thoughts and her words and it's too much even for him.

"Whoa whoa, Leah," Edward crosses his arms over his chest because his instinct is to comfort her but she has never been big on comfort. "Jacob is as confused as you are. He doesn't understand it either and I've heard his thoughts long enough to know that he didn't want the imprint when it happened. He never wanted to imprint, but I know that the imprint saved my daughter's life, my wife's life. And I will be grateful for it for eternity but I know Jacob's confusion has a lot to do with you."

Leah takes a sip of her coffee and tilts her head, her thoughts run a hundred different directions, "What do you mean?"

"He loves Renesmee, but like a brother. And that confuses him, he is also confused by how he feels about you. The only other female in his life he loves." Leah frowns at Edward's words.

"It's just love like siblings, like a pack, it's not the way he felt about Bella." Leah knows this might be a sore subject.

"Yes, don't remind me." Edward mutters, "My point is that he's a man just like Embry and Paul and while I don't approve of their thoughts, they have feelings just like anyone. And they can see just like everyone that you are beautiful and strong. Not to mention, intelligent."

"This is the part you didn't want them to hear." A statement, not a question as she circles her index finger in the space between them.

"Yes," Edward says calmly, "and please forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I heard their conversation while I was speaking with Bella last night. And I was curious what your reasons were for not leaving us. I don't want you to get the wrong idea. We all do love having you here. Rosalie seems to have a particularly soft spot in her heart for you too."

"I don't really know. At first, it was just that it was an escape from Sam and Emily, then it was an escape from La Push, and then I got comfortable, I guess." Leah doesn't know how to say it, "Maybe… I just felt like I'd be lost without them." And Edward knows she means without the pack; Jake, Embry, and Paul. And maybe even without his family as well.

"Have you tried talking to them? Or maybe suggest a visit to La push? Maybe you all need a break from us." Edward offers.

Leah nods her head, "Yeah maybe. I think we can leave next week. If it's okay with you and Bella. The guys could get out of your hair for a bit. Jake can fly with Nessie to Seattle or Port Angeles. Charlie can pick them up. Embry, Paul, and I could drive so we have a car down there."

Edward nods but doesn't say anything because he can hear Leah's thoughts running a hundred miles an hour.

They remain in comfortable silence for the next hour when they hear the front door open they both move to leave the kitchen. Loud, deep laughter hits both of their ears and they all are still chuckling when Leah comes into view.

"Hey Lee," Paul smiles.

"Sup Leah," Embry adds.

"Slept in today, Leah?" Jake asks. He seems a little annoyed.

"Yeah, I guess. Hey guys," Leah smiles at them, "So I was thinking… How about we go home for a visit?"

All three of her pack stare at her in confusion. The guys all glance at each other with frowns on their faces, Leah almost wants to laugh but she doesn't. They take a few more seconds to let her words sink in before that all start asking questions at the same time.

Leah raises her hands in the air, "Whoa, whoa, I didn't mean for you to all start yapping at one time." She takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "Let's try this again. Yes, I asked if you guys wanted to go home for a visit, no I don't really want to go or stay there very long. And yes this is mostly an idea for Ness than it is for me."

Jake speaks first, "So you just decided why not, let's go to La Push? Without discussing it with me?"

"Yes, Jacob, I decided -I- am going down for a visit, but it is only so -your imprint- can get out of this house. She needs some space for a few days, and I thought sure why not." She emphasized that this was for his imprint because it sure as hell wasn't for her. "It's not like we will be gone long, just a few days so she can get it out of her system, but Edward and I think Ness probably shouldn't fly alone so you," Leah points at Jacob, "get to fly with her. And no this is not up for discussion because while you may be my alpha you are not my keeper. I will be going whether you tag along or not. Your choice. But someone has to fly with Nessie. Paul, Em, and I will drive down so we can have a car while we are there."

Jake's eyes narrow at the tone of Leah's voice, why should he have to fly and not drive with his pack. Just as quickly as that thought follows his eyes snap to Edward who'd been silently watching the exchange the entire time. Instantly, Jacob feels guilt for not wanting to go with Ness on the plane. Edward just looks back at Jake, no anger, no annoyance, nothing. Jake is confused by it and Leah's words filter back and he feels the chill roll down his spine. He's pissed off.

"So we go to La Push for a few days and then come back?" Paul asks for clarification.

"Essentially. Ness wants out of Vancouver for a few days and she wants to visit Charlie. And we will be around to protect her or bail her out of whatever, just in case, for Edward and Bella's sanity." Leah looks over at Edward who is smirking. "And you could always -not- come back if you want, Paul." She adds.

"-That- isn't even funny." Paul finally chimes in, "I could use a break from the stench though."

At this Edward gives a small chuckle, "The feeling is mutual, Paul."

Everyone settles into side conversations about the trip down to La Push. Leah slips away and heads out the front door for some fresh air. With a deep breath, Leah closes the front door behind her and walks down the steps. She stretches both of her arms straight up and arches her back feeling a satisfying pop, she sighs. She is about to head for a run when the front door opens.

"What the hell are you thinking." Not much of a question, but more of a pissed off statement.

Leah slowly turns around and stares at Jacob as he makes his wake down the steps. "Excuse you."

Jake stops in front of Leah, using the significant height difference to his advantage, "You know exactly what the hell I'm talking about Leah. Why would you even want to go back to La Push? You have never -wanted- to go back there. Why now?"

"Not that I have to explain my reasons, but I have a soft spot for the kid and I know that her staying here in this damn mansion with us all is going to drive her insane. She deserves to see the only other family she has in this world. And believe it or not. I miss my mom and my brother. Okay." Leah crosses her arms over her chest.

"You can't just go making plans for the pack without consulting me." Jake is grasping at straws because he knows how much Charlie misses Bella and Nessie. And he knows how much Nessie has wanted to go visit him and for how long. He knows Ness is frustrated with her parents and all of the rules.

"Yes, I can and I already did. I'm an adult Jake. I can decide things for myself. And it's not like the guys don't need a break, maybe even our almighty alpha. Ness needs to get out of Vancouver. And so do I." She pauses, "Even if it's only temporary."

It's Jake's turn to cross his arms over his chest. Leah tries not to notice the way his shirt tightens around his arms or the tension in his shoulders. She studies his features while Jake's attention is behind Leah, always watching his surroundings. They hadn't had any issues in at least five years but he was always worried about rogue vamps in the area or humans coming too close.

Leah knew in her heart that being around the Denali and the Cullens weren't what was best for Jacob. Being away from his own land, his people, was what was keeping him from being truly happy. She also knew that being away from Nessie might kill him. None of the pack had really had any experience with being away from their imprints for more than a few days at a time. Even Quil hadn't ever spent much time away from Claire.

And that was another thing. It had bothered her for a long time, the relationship between Quil and Claire, but he was nothing more than a big brother to her. Her best friend and confidant. Leah saw the relationship develop between Jake and Nessie from both of their eyes. Ness showed her how she sees Jake, and through Jake's eyes until he learned how to block his thoughts.

"Earth to Leah." Leah blinks and shakes her head, smacking the hand waving in front of her eyes away.

"I'm right here." She sighs.

"I'm not saying this isn't a good idea, but why didn't you check with me first? This isn't just a trip to downtown or even Anchorage, Lee. There are a lot of people who would start to ask questions." Jake's concern is not unfounded. Anchorage is a place no one knew the pack or the Cullens. It was easy to slip down for a weekend or two. Even downtown Vancouver wasn't bad. Forks and La Push were filled with people they'd grown up with.

Leah presses her lips together, closes her eyes, and takes a deep steadying breath. "Yes, Jacob. I have thought of those things. Do you think I'm an idiot?" She opens her eyes, narrowing them at Jake. "I know we know people there. Yes, they could ask questions. Which is why Ness is going to go by Carlie Mason, she's going to say she's related to Charlie, she's not going to go to Forks or the rez school. And when and if the time comes she's going to go to start college online from Forks. The rest of us are coming down for a visit and we will figure out stories for why we are there while Ness is and makeup something when it's time to leave."

"I don't think you're an idiot, Lee. This isn't an easy thing. What happens if Ness gets thirsty? What if a rogue vamp comes through town? What if Ness triggers other kid's phases? I don't want this to mess things up."

Leah chuckles, "Mess what up, Black? You know Ness better than that. I think you're just scared to go home. The longer you're away the less you miss it, the less you think about everything and everyone. We live in our own pack bubble here and it scares you that you might actually miss home." Leah emphasizes home by poking Jake's chest with her index finger.

Jake narrows his eyes grabbing Leah's wrist before she can poke him again, "I'm not scared to go home." He pushes her wrist aside and walks past her toward the tree line.

Leah turns to follow him. They make their way beyond the tree line before Leah calls out to him. "Then tell me. Tell me why you are so damn threatened by me making plans for the pack! Our Pack!"

Jake stops in his tracks but doesn't turn around to face her. Leah comes to a stop just two steps behind him. She can see the trembling in his hands, if she pushes too hard he'll lose control, and he hasn't don't in years. Jake has been able to control himself since Ness was born. Afraid he could hurt her, he learned how to control the anger, and right now Leah was pushing her luck.

"I'm your beta, Jacob! You're supposed to trust my judgment. I don't even know where your head is half the time. You don't let any of us in. Even Edward doesn't know what you're thinking!" Leah shouts, her fists balled at her side… trembling with that same need to phase. But she only phases when she wants to… needs to.

Jake spins around, eyes zeroed in on Leah's, "I trust you! Do you think I'd have let you stick around if I didn't? I'm supposed to be the Alpha! I'm supposed to be Chief! What the hell am I supposed to do, Leah? Let you walk in and take over? That isn't your place!"

"My place? Wow." Leah's eyes narrow at Jake, "Then grow a pair, Jacob. I'm putting my foot down. We are going to La Push next week and you need that week to decide what you want. Everyone in that house," Leah throws her arm out in the direction of the house, "knows there is something up with you."

"You're giving -me- an ultimatum? Where the hell do you get off?" Jake takes a step closer to Leah.

"If that is what it takes for you to get your head out of your ass, then yes. Decide whether or not you need us anymore, Jacob. I get that Ness is going to live forever, and so are the rest of the Cullens but honestly how long do you think we can last? Our bodies aren't made of stone. We..." Leah waves her hand between them and Jake knows she's including Embry and Paul too, "-we- won't live forever. I don't want to."

Jake reaches out cupping Leah's cheek with his left hand, "You make it sound like this is an easy choice. Live forever trying to be what Nessie needs, follow her, and the rest of them around until my body gives out. Or go home with the pack, with you. Take my dad's place. Become chief. Take over both packs."

Leah stares up at Jake, confusion clearly written on her face and all she can manage is a question, "What do you mean?"

"I've spent months trying to be what -Nessie- needs. Our feelings aren't evolving past friendship, not like Sam and Emily, or Jared and Kim. We don't understand and I've kept my distance. From her, from the pack… from you. She and I have talked. I'm glad it's not evolving."

Leah tries to pull back from Jake but he puts his right hand on her hip stopping her, "Jake, this is crazy. She is your -imprint-. What do I have to do with this? This isn't about me."

Jake steps back pulling his hands away from Leah and turns to face away from her. He grips his hair in both hands, "Damn it, Leah! Don't you get it. There is something wrong with the imprint!" he spins around, keeping a lower volume because he isn't sure if anyone is close by, "It's like it's fractured! I'm not supposed to think about anyone but her, but I do. I'm not supposed to notice anyone else, but I do!"

"Stop Jake." Leah's breathing speeds up, eyes wide, and now she knows what Edward was hinting at. It scares the hell out of her because she suspected something was wrong but this isn't where she thought it was going to go. Maybe not liking Ness romantically, or maybe so, but this confusion she couldn't handle.

"There are only two specific people I worry about besides the pack. Ness and you. It was so much easier when she was younger. I could make excuses for why I care so much about what you thought, how you felt, where you were. And I'm not fucking blind I know Paul and Embry see you too. They see what I have to fight myself not to see. But I always do. And then I feel guilty, and I get angry because it was simple at first. I imprinted. Bella turned. Our lives were changed and we didn't have to fight our brothers to stay alive. Now it's like there are two of me in my head. The imprinted one who needs to protect Ness, make sure she's happy, safe, taken care of. And the other half that tells me this is all wrong. That we should be in La Push, that I should be Alpha to all of the wolves, that I should be learning to be chief from my dad. That I need someone by my side who isn't frozen at 18!"

Leah shakes her head, "I don't understand how you can feel that way! You imprinted, you're -hers- for eternity! This is… No. No! I'm not doing this. Not again." Leah pushes past Jake making her way deeper into the forest intent on running from this conversation.

Literally.

Jake immediately follows after her. "Leah, stop. Don't do this. You wanted to know why I've been distant, why I can't focus, why it doesn't bother me anymore when Ness throws a fit at her parents or how I don't mind that she wants a life of her own away from all of us! It's why I can't stand watching Paul put his hands on you or watching you two fall asleep on the damn sofa watching movies! Why it pisses me off when Embry jumps to get you something without you even opening your mouth to ask! What they think of you and how they see you in their heads when you aren't phased with us!"

Leah turns around and runs smack dab into Jake's chest. His arms are instantly around her to keep her from falling back on her ass. She stares up into his eyes, hands pressed to his chest reflexively clutching his shirt to keep from stumbling back. This isn't right. He shouldn't even see her as anything other than his beta, his friend, his pack, but it makes her heart pound faster in her chest at the thought that he sounds even the tiniest bit jealous of her relationship with Paul and Embry. Her eyes instantly snap to Jake's at the thought. He's heard the change in her heartbeat.

Jake stares into Leah's eyes for a moment before he presses his forehead to hers, and they both close their eyes. This isn't right. She can't do this to the guys, to Ness, but it doesn't stop their lips from the meeting. Leah's hands cling tighter to Jake's shirt and his arms hold her tighter. It's not fast or desperate. Just a press of their lips against one another, but they both pull back hesitantly, breathlessly. They both open their eyes, stare at each other for a moment before Jake speaks.

In a quiet voice, he whispers, "I don't know who I am anymore." He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "I'm going for a run, I'll be back later." His arms slowly release her form and she relaxes her hands against his chest, letting his shirt slip out of her grasp. Before Leah has a chance to stop him he brushes past her and starts running. Leah stands there for a moment, confused, angry, worried, and annoyed before she turns and heads back to the house.

She didn't want to let Jake's words get to her but they do when she gets back to the house and walks through the front door finding Embry and Paul playing on the XBOX. Was Jake right? Her relationship with both Paul and Embry wasn't really the definition of normal. She cared about both of them. They had all tried the dating thing. None of the people they had gone out with made it past the first date. It wasn't that they didn't try. It was just that no one really could understand why they were so close, why they all looked like giants, or why they lived with the pale faces who never seemed to come into town very often.

Leah walks over to the couch, a small huff escaping her lips when she throws herself down between her two pack mates. With her mind racing, she offers a small shrug when they ask if she's okay. They both understand she doesn't want to talk and they go back to their game while each keeping a watchful eye on their beta.


End file.
